Wireless measurement while drilling module in a downhole tool

Abstract

In some embodiments, a wireless MWD module is included in a MWD tool to enable communication between the MWD tool and a rig wireless module located at a rig surface. In some embodiments, a repeater is disposed at a drill collar to enable enhanced communication between the wireless MWD module in the MWD tool disposed within a borehole and the rig wireless module located at the rig surface.

1 . A system comprising:
 a rig wireless module located at a rig surface;   a wireless measurement while drilling (MWD) module disposed in an MWD tool located at the rig surface, wherein the wireless MWD module comprises:
 a transceiver comprising one or more antennas mounted to a chassis; 
 a housing enclosing the transceiver, wherein:
 the housing includes one or more slots adjacent to one or more sealing portions included in the housing, 
 the one or more sealing portions adjacent to at least a portion of the chassis on which the antennas are mounted, and 
 the one or more antennas are configured to provide bidirectional wireless communication with the rig wireless module through the one or more sealing portions and the one or more slots in the housing. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more antennas are disposed on a printed circuit board mounted to the chassis. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless MWD module discovers the rig wireless module when the rig wireless module and the wireless MWD module are within a threshold distance from each other. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a communication protocol is used to perform the discovering. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless MWD module pairs with the rig wireless module to enable the wireless bidirectional communication with the rig wireless module. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a repeater disposed at a top of a drill collar, wherein the repeater is configured to transmit wireless signals from the wireless MWD module to the rig wireless module. 
     
     
         7 . A method comprising:
 discovering, via a wireless measurement while (MWD) module connected to an MWD drilling tool, a rig wireless module when the wireless MWD module and the rig wireless module are within a threshold distance from each other, wherein the discovering is performed using a certain communication protocol;   pairing with the rig wireless module to enable wireless communication; and   transmitting, via one or more radios of the wireless MWD module, a wireless signal through a sealing portion adjacent to at least a portion of a chassis on which the one or more radios are disposed, wherein the wireless signal is transmitted through the sealing portion and a corresponding slot in a housing of the MWD tool.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the certain communication protocol comprises a 2.4 Gigahertz communication protocol. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising another wireless signal to a repeater disposed at a top of a drill collar in which the MWD tool is disposed in. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the repeater comprises a first antenna configured to receive the another wireless signal and a second antenna configured to transmit the other wireless signal to the rig wireless module. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the MWD tool is located outside of a drill collar. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the repeater comprises an active repeater. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the repeater is secured to the top of the drill collar via a mechanical clamp mechanism. 
     
     
         14 . A system comprising:
 a drill collar;   a rig wireless module configured to transmit and receive wireless signals;   a measurement while drilling (MWD) tool comprising a wireless MWD module configured to transmit and receive the wireless signals, wherein the MWD tool is disposed within the drill collar; and   a repeater positioned at a top of the drill collar, wherein:
 the repeater comprises at least a first antenna and a second antenna, 
 the first antenna positioned away from an outside of the drill collar to transmit the wireless signals to the rig wireless module and to receive the wireless signals from the rig wireless module, and 
 the second antenna is positioned toward an inside of the drill collar to transmit the wireless signals to the wireless MWD module and to receive the wireless signals from the wireless MWD module. 
   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the repeater is secured to the drill collar using a mechanical clamp mechanism. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the wireless MWD module and the rig wireless module are configured to discover each other when within a threshold distance from each other. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the wireless MWD module and the rig wireless module are configured to pair with each other after discovery. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein a 2.4 Gigahertz communication protocol is used during discovery. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the repeater is an active repeater. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the wireless MWD module and the rig wireless module are configured to automatically pair and transmit data when the MWD tool is located on a rig floor and the wireless MWD module and the rig wireless module are within a threshold distance from each other. 
     
     
         21 . A method comprising:
 receiving, at a first antenna of a repeater located at a top of a drill collar, a wireless signal from a wireless measurement while drilling (MWD) module included in an MWD tool disposed within the drill collar;   transmitting, via a second antenna of the repeater located at the top of the drill collar, the wireless signal to a rig wireless module located at a rig surface;   receiving, at the second antenna of the repeater located at the top of the drill collar, a second wireless signal from the rig wireless module located at the rig surface; and   transmitting, via the first antenna of the repeater located at the top of the drill collar, the second wireless signal to the wireless MWD module included in the MWD tool disposed within the drill collar.